Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National

Laura Plummer: British woman jailed for carrying painkillers in Egypt will face criminal trial

Prosecutors in Egypt's Red Sea region have referred a British woman to trial before a criminal court for attempting to smuggle hundreds of powerful painkillers which are banned in the Arab country. 

The woman, 33-year-old Laura Plummer from Hull, has maintained her innocence since her arrest last month on arrival from Britain to Hurghada, a Red Sea resort city. She has insisted the Tramadol tablets were for her Egyptian partner who suffers from chronic back pain. 

Tramadol is listed by Egyptian authorities as an illegal drug given its wide use as a heroin substitute. 

No date has yet been set for her trial. Convicted drug smugglers could face the death penalty in Egypt.

At Saturday's hearing prosecutors renewed her detention for 15 days. 

More follows…

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.